How Can Sex Make You Lose Weight?

Lillian Downey

About the Author:

Lillian Downey

A Jill-of-all-trades, Lillian Downey is a certified Responsible Sexuality Educator, certified clinical phlebotomist and a certified non-profit administrator. She's also written extensively on gardening and cooking. She also authors blogs on nail art blog and women's self esteem.

Calorie Burn

Most experts agree that in order to loose weight, you need to burn off more calories than you eat. Sex, like any physical activity, burns calories. According to editors at Natural News, sex can raise your heartbeat to aerobic levels and burn an average of 200 calories during a 30-minute session. That translates to losing a pound for every 17.5 times you have sex. They also report that sex reduces food cravings and stimulates chemicals in the body that control appetite, helping you take in fewer calories.

Stress Reduction

Sex also helps foster an overall sense of health and well-being through reducing stress and improving sleep--two activities linked with weight loss. According to Christine Haran, author of "Good Vibrations: Uncovering the Health Benefits of Sex," an orgasm causes your body to release oxytocin, a chemical that promotes relaxation, pain relief and emotional bonding. Sex also helps you sleep, and getting enough sleep is important for healing the body after exercise and lowering stress hormones that may cause weight gain.

Improved Level of Fitness

The more you do any physical activity, the more fit you become; sex is no different. Through sex you will increase cardiovascular fitness. Depending on your positions and routine, you could also build muscle from frequent sex. Haran states that sex improves cardiovascular fitness and mental health, while mental health and cardiovascular fitness improves the quality of your sex life. Increasing fitness and muscle strength makes your body burn more calories, which in turn makes you lose weight.